Kikuyu, born Jan. 7, 1976, celebrated her 30th birthday this month. But her medications stopped working and her condition worsened, causing her breathing problems.

In November, Kikuyu surpassed the longevity record set by an aardvark at the zoo that lived to be 29. The records were confirmed by the National Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Kikuyu celebrated her last birthday by "slurping" a "cake" frosted with avocados and topped with mealworms.

The oldest living aardvark now is Miss Piggy, who recently turned 27 at the Memphis Zoo, zoo authorities reported.